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26 CHRISTCHURCH MAIL, JULY 3, 2014 By LYNDA HALLINAN CELEBRATE THE WINTER SOLSTICE BY PLANTING YOUR GARLIC CROP It was the winter solstice last weekend. Personally, I think it’s a bit chilly for dancing around a bonfire by the light of the moon, but I do like to mark the season’s turning point – the days get longer, if not much warmer, from now on – with a garlicplanting ritual. I’ve divided my best bulbs saved from last year into cloves and checked them for any bruises, blemishes, or rotten bits – you must only plant the fattest, finest cloves. And I’ve prepared a new bed to plant them in, as you must never plant garlic in the same spot twice – it’s susceptible to soil diseases. So, I’ve dug in general garden fertiliser and compost, and weeded it carefully. Now I just need to rig up a rabbit- and chicken-proof fence to stop the cloves being dug up as soon as they’re planted. Plant your garlic cloves at least 20cm apart, in rows that are at least 30cm apart. The more sun and soil they get to themselves, the bigger the bulbs will be. And don’t bury the cloves too deep: 2-3cm below the surface is perfectly adequate. If your soil is very wet, don’t plant your garlic directly into it – start the cloves in pots first and transplant them when their green shoots are 2-3cm high. GROW BIGGER, BETTER BRUSSELS SPROUTS These loved or loathed brassicas ■ This column is adapted from the weekly e-zine Get Growing from New Zealand Gardener magazine. For a free sample visit getgrowing.co.nz or to subscribe visit mags4gifts. co.nz or call 0800 MAGS4GIFTS. should be forming tight rosettes like mini cabbages by now. If not, here are some troubleshooting tips: ❚ Heartless brussels sprouts are a common problem in warm, mild areas. Just eat them anyway – they’re trendy. In fact, the loose leaves are now marketed as ‘‘flower sprouts’’. ❚ Slow growth is because of cold soil. Mulch your plants with an insulating blanket of pea straw or hay. ❚ Speed up their growth with liquid fertiliser, applied fortnightly. Use a fertiliser that is reasonably high in nitrogen. ❚ Stripping off the lower leaves doesn’t actually help your sprouts grow. If the leaves have served their purpose, they’ll fall off naturally. You can, however, give the central growing tip at the top a pinch. This forces the plant to focus on fattening up the sprouts, rather than wasting energy on more top growth. ❚ Thin your sprouts – eat the tiniest ones – to encourage the remaining lot to smarten up their act. DON’T LET SLUGS AND SNAILS EAT YOUR CROPS Snails on speed, that’s what you face on wet nights when their lubricated feet slither around at twice the pace. If your seedlings are vanishing before your eyes, lay bait in plastic containers to keep it out of the rain and away from pets. Alternatively, head out hunting after dark with a torch and a bucket of salty water. Salad greens such as crisp let- tuces are particularly vulnerable. If you don’t want to use bait, cover your salad rows with a plastic cloche or frost cloth cover, pegged down firmly. Autoflex Adjustable Beds Save up to $3000 The Merino Outlet UP TO 70% * original RRP Alpine Pacific Retail Centre Hanmer Springs Ph 03 315 7643 Barrington Mall Christchurch Ph 03 332 8473 www.merinooutlet.com Open 7 days PHONE 377 8887 www.bedworld.co.nz ALONG FROM OLD AMI STADIUM Mon-Fri 9-5.30pm • Sat-Sun 10-4pm 242 FERRY RD, OFF Available in Long Single, King Single, Queen, King and Super King Variety of base fabrics and colours available SALE NOW ON! BIRTHDAY Designed for your wellbeing. Helps to improve circulation, reduce back pain and helps by relieving sports injuries, relieve arthritis sufferers and refl ux problems. 6001559AH Sunday 6 July Must End